Don’t rule out the Motor City. Detroit came out way ahead in all of our criteria, with only 3 major disaster declarations and four total declarations from the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the last 10 years. Detroit’s position on the Detroit River and its proximity to Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie helps regulate extreme weather patterns and also subjects it to colder temperatures.

When there are weather ‘events,’ the most likely are hail – still only 1 in every 4 of them – and flooding (also 1 in 4). Both are products of occasionally intense spring and summer thunderstorms. Detroit residents may have several concerns, but natural disasters don’t top the list!